BENCHMARK (PRE-TEST)

Thursday, September 24, 2013, 9th and 11th grade will take an ELA Benchmark. This is a practice for the official Benchmark the week of October 7th. Please do your best and treat it as the real test. I will take put the grade in the gradebook. Review all of your notes and vocabulary words. Good luck!

Late Work/Missing Assignments

Please be advised it is your responsibility to keep up with your missing work. Check the Gradebook to see what assignments you are missing. If you are within the two week limit, you could still earn up to a 70. If it is beyond the deadline, you will receive a failing grade. If you have been absent, remember that you are required to request make up work from me. Let's keep up the good work and finish this quarter strong!

PBL Delay for 9th Grade

Due to MAP Testing, 9th grade PBLs will be delayed to the week of September 30th.

Reading Summaries

Please continue your weekly reading. Work towards your weekly reading goal. Summaries are due every Friday. I need to see one full paragraph summarizing the plot, characters, and important details.

Chromebooks

Please bring your Chromebooks to class starting this Thursday, September 12, 2013. They are essential for class, especially Reading Labs. Make sure they are fully charged.

PBL

Get ready for your first PBL project! 11th grade will begin their project this Friday. 9th grade will begin next week.

10K Book Race/Reading Requirement

The first nine weeks quarter ends on 10/21/13. You're expected to have read 2 full novels by 10/18/13. I will start conducting conferences to grade you on your novel completion. Your first novel should be finished by 9/21/13. Immediately begin your second novel to complete your goal by 10/18/13. Refrain from waiting until the last minute. Keep track of your page numbers and you will be rewarded.

Weekly Reading Summary

Please remember to have your weekly reading summary turned in by Friday. The expectation is a full paragraph (5 complete sentences). Also, make sure your reading summary is providing information about the plot, characters, and action. I don't need you to write a response or a reflection. Thank you and keep the momentum for reading. It will pay off in the 10K Race.

Reading Summary

"The habit of reading is the only enjoyment in which there is no alloy; it lasts when all other pleasures fade."

- Anthony Trollope Reading Summary is due this Friday, September 7, 2013. Remember it needs to be at least one paragraph about your weekly reading. Try to reach your weekly reading goal. Track your page numbers. Reading summaries are due EVERY FRIDAY.

Home Visit

Home Visits

Why we visit Homes?

Overall goal of home visiting is to help strengthen relationships between parents and teachers. Home visiting programs are an effective way for teachers to get parents involved in their child's education and to let parents and children know how much they care.

However, home visits are only the beginning. Harmony Science Academy embraces the idea of parents as partners and actively involves parents into education.

We experienced immediate benefits of home visiting. As parent and teacher relationships improved, and kids at the home visit campuses began doing better academically and socially. Here are more benefits:

·  Strengthened parent/teacher relationships

·  Increase in overall student achievement scores

·  Decrease in student suspensions

·  Increase in student attendance

·  Feeling of trust, mutual respect, empowerment, and accountability by parents, students and staff

 Please don't hesitate to contact me at msmcarpenter@gmail.com or mcarpenter@harmonytx.org to schedule a visit.

Diagnostic Testing

MAP Testing will be done in two weeks. This is a diagnostic test used to see where you are academically and help me plan lessons to develop your weak areas. This data will also connect to other programs for your Chromebook. Grades 9 and 11 will be tested in Language, Reading, and Math.